Channel 4 TV Planning Awards 2005: Where planning meets buying

The Channel 4 TV Planning Awards are now in their third year. Their aim
- to reward creativity and innovation in the planning of TV campaigns -
was never more relevant.

Media trends have affected potential entries for the awards since
launch.

On the one hand, technological advances in TV and the proliferation of
multichannel opportunities have brought new options to advertisers and
agencies. On the other, agency deals and the increased commoditisation
of the media market can often work against creativity in TV.

While the brainchild of Channel 4, the TV Planning Awards seek to reward
TV activity across all broadcasters. Mike Parker, the head of strategic
sales and commercial marketing at Channel 4, was heavily involved in the
awards' inception. He emphasises that a key aim of the awards is to
recognise where strong planning meets well-executed buying: "Putting TV
on the media schedule is clearly what media planners do, but there is a
big role for creativity in buying. The role of buyers in using TV in a
creative way is very important."

Sitting in Channel 4's impressive Horseferry Road offices, with activity
all around, it is easy to forget the difficulties involved in creating
and implementing innovative TV activity. As Parker points out: "Part of
the battle is against a commoditised media world where agency deals and
share deals can affect things. It can be difficult for agencies to do
things in a creative way when agency and share deals are in place, but
the plethora of good award entries shows it's not impossible."

Yet greater segmentation of channels, with specific programming targeted
at specific audiences has provided new vistas for agencies. Just a quick
look at the major broadcasters (Channel 4 has E4 and More4, ITV its
three-pronged multichannel offer) shows how the market has evolved to
provide targeted digital TV channels.

Interactive and mobile applications have further increased the potential
for getting closer to the viewer. Parker argues that while response
rates from interactive "red button" commercials could improve with more
tailored creative, mobile technology is providing planners with new
opportunities.

He says: "Mobile is an interesting category. Linked with television,
press or outdoor, you can download information straightaway - you see an
ad on TV, find the information on your phone and then book something
like a cinema ticket."

This "call to action"-type campaign is just one example of the use of
mobile. Increasingly throughout 2005, mobile technology was used to
provide extra entertainment content on the back of TV ads.

Yet less technology-led activity can also scoop awards. Parker points to
the growing sophistication of sponsorship opportunities. "Sponsorship is
a key part of television planning," he explains. "Segmentation of
audiences through programming lends itself really well to sponsorship,
and a brand and a show can now be matched incredibly well."

This trend towards sponsorship may also be partly driven by potential ad
avoidance through personal video recorder technology. Some believe this
will put a greater emphasis on sponsorship idents, because some PVR
viewers skip through traditional spot ads. Ofcom changes to the length
of sponsorship bumpers could also help drive its growth.

And it's not just sponsorship that is providing opportunities.
"Increasingly, advertisers are looking for cross-platform activity,
interactivity, mobile technology or sponsorship. Integrated,
cross-platform solutions are good for advertisers but should not be a
goal in their own right," Parker says.

Parker believes Thinkbox has made a solid start. "Thinkbox is providing
reassurance to advertisers," he says. "Technological change has been at
its fastest pace in TV history and things will look very different in
five years. Thinkbox is there to give advertisers and planners
confidence that TV still has an enormous reach and can do a whole range
of things as part of an integrated strategy."